The present invention relates to windows and more particularly to door lights, which are windows adapted for installation in door blanks.
A door light provides a window assembly in a door. Present constructions are of two basic types-ventilating and fixed. A ventilating door light includes a movable window sash to selectively permit the passage of air therethrough. A fixed door light supports only stationary window glass. Fixed door lights are preferred in relatively cold climates because of the better seal and insulation provided by the fixed glazing. Ventilating door lights are often preferred in warmer climates wherein insulation is not as significant a consideration.
Known ventilating door lights have several characteristics making their use in colder climates undesirable. First, water is often drawn to the interior side of the frame by the capillary action between the closed movable sash and the sill. Second, the screens in ventilating door lights rest directly on the sill and thereby impede proper water drainage. Third, ventilating lights can permit undesirable infiltration of air about the movable sash and/or between the interfitting frame components.